Scholes bounce back with derby victory

Andrew Hunt

Scholes bounced back from losing to JCT600 Bradford League Division Two leaders Morley by defeating neighbours Hartshead Moor by eight wickets on Bank Holiday Monday.

It ended a run of three defeats as Scholes moved back into second place in the table.

Hartshead overseas player Fahid Ul-Haq produced a fine knock of 61 but they were dismissed for 148 as Joe Duffy (3-31) was the pick of the Scholes bowlers.

Kasir Maroof (64) and Atif Zaid (60no) shared a second-wicket stand of 132 as Moor’s modest total was overhauled.

Gomersal were unable to build on Saturday’s victory over neighbours Spen Victoria as they suffered a nine-wicket defeat to promotion rivals Baildon.

Gomersal began the day second but Baildon spinner Simon Bailey (4-25) and overseas paceman Waqas Maqsood (4-29) helped dismiss the Oxford Road men for just 104.

Captain Graham Hilton, who had made a century in Saturday’s win over Spen, was again Gomersal’s top scorer capping a fine weekend by making 31.

Baildon had no trouble knocking off the runs with opener Harvey Anderson (44no) and Nahim Ashraf (37) easing them to their target.

Leaders Morley completed their second win of the weekend when they defeated Yeadon by 12 runs at Scatcherd Lane and they are 22 points clear of Scholes and a further five ahead of third placed Baildon.

Morley were in trouble at 5-2 but recovered to make 203 thanks largely to a third-wicket partnership of 111 between captain Matt Baxter (73) and George Robson (43).

An unbeaten 35 from Richard Jubb also proved important after Michael Hunter took 5-44.

Yeadon captain James Todd (78) and Oliver Stephenson (41) gave them hope but they faltered as Morley’s teenage spinner Jak Murphy took 4-51 to restrict them to 191-7.

Gomersal and Spen Victoria, who were without a game on Bank Holiday, are in joint fourth place, 17 points behind Scholes but both have a game in hand.